Joint Governing Bodies <br />June 27, 2017 <br />Page 3 <br />Urban Reserves Planning for Eugene <br />Urban Reserves are a relatively new tool in the statewide planning system. Originally <br />created by the Land Conservation and Development Coimmission ("LCDC") by rule in <br />1992, only a few jurisdictions have taken advantage of the Urban Reserves option. An urban <br />reserve is land outside of - but contiguous to - an existing UGB. It is land specifically <br />designated for future urbanization resulting from expansion of a UGI3. Urban Reserves <br />must include land beyond the 20-year planning horizon for. UGI3s. It allows planning for up <br />to 50 years and allows local jurisdictions greater flexibility in located UGB expansions. <br />Unhampered by the general restrictions on expanding into farm and forest land, a local <br />government may plan to expand on lands that, although they are designated as farm or <br />forest, are not appropriate for such designation but are better suited for urban level <br />development. The state specifically adopted the Urban Reserves rule to avoid bringing in <br />Rural Residential lands. LCDC recognized that Rural Residential (and other Exceptions <br />land) often impedes efficient urbanization, frustrating Goal 10 (Housing) and Goal 14 <br />(Urbanization). <br />Much of the background work that was done through the Envision Eugene process <br />will be beneficial and useful in the City's Urban Reserves planning process. Additionally, the <br />City Council has allocated $750,000 and has cuts n aed to proceeding with the Urban <br />Reserves planning process. It is anticipated that the City will revisit the need for residential <br />land three years after the current UGB package is adopted. The City will then be able to <br />take advantage of the newest population forecast. The 2015 PSU population forecast for <br />Eugene is significantly higher than the 2009 Lane County forecast. It is anticipated that a <br />newer PSU forecast (perhaps 2018) will prove to be even higher than 2015. The higher the <br />population forecast, the better. A higher forecast allows the City to provide an Urban <br />Reserves area that includes the Willow Creek Hills area and allows it to be seriously <br />considered for a UGI3 expansion for residential. <br />Urban Reserves planning has another practical benefit - it allows better long-range <br />planning for the future health and livability of the community. Expanding into Urban <br />Reserves areas allows a local government to take advantage of economies of scale, rather <br />than pigeonholing redeveloping piecemeal into Rural Residential areas that resist <br />redevelopment and may lack adequate public services such as water, sewer and <br />transportation. It is much easier and cost effective to plan transportation and other urban <br />level services for larger areas such as the Willow Creek Hills area, than to "nickel and dime" <br />on the fringes where Rural Residential areas are located. Urban Reserves allows for master <br />planned communities that incorporate desirable features such as parks, trails and open space, <br />a mix of affordable and market-rate housing, a mixture of housing types, schools, integrated <br />neighborhood commercial and a transportation system that promotes alternative modes. In <br />other words, a complete community can be designed, adopted and developed, improving the <br />livability of the community and attracting and retaining employers and employees. <br />